A Day At The Congressional Races
Here's today's rundown on the Congressional races.
Franken: My Ads Are About Norm Coleman's Record -- So They're Negative
Sen. Norm Coleman (R-MN) debated last night against Al Franken and Independency Party candidate Dean Barkley. Franken got off this zinger when asked what he would do about negative ads that have taken over the race on all sides: "We've been running ads against Norm Coleman's record. So they're negative."
Franken: I'll Keep On Impersonating Wellstone
At a rally over the weekend featuring Al Gore, Al Franken declared that he would not be deterred from doing his goofy impression of the late Sen. Paul Wellstone, who would manically shout "You can take this guy!" at his son's track and field meets. The GOP has been using video of Franken impersonating his departed friend and twisting it to look like Franken himself was being crazy and unstable.
Dem Congressman's Ad Warns Against Mixing Social Security And Wall St.
Here's an ad from Rep. Jason Altmire (D-PA), who is facing a rematch from former Rep. Melissa Hart (R) after Altmire's upset victory in 2006. This one continues the warnings in ads from the DCCC and individual candidates, about just what Social Security privatization would mean in light of the Wall St. crisis:
"Hart would have put your retirement savings in the stock market, gambling our pensions and taking away seniors' safety net," the announcer says.
Poll: Illinois GOP Congressman In Tough Race
A new Research 2000 poll shows that Rep. Mark Kirk (R-IL), who has the unenviable task of being a Republican in an Illinois district that Barack Obama is expected to carry handily, is ahead but nevertheless in a tough spot. The numbers: Kirk 44%, Democratic candidate Dan Seals 38%, with a ±5% margin of error.
McConnell's Pollster: Economy Dragging Us Down
The pollster for Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY), who is in a surprisingly close race against Dem businessman Bruce Lunsford, is worried about the effects of the economy. "The crisis has affected the entire ticket," said Jan van Lohuizen. "The worse the state's economy, the greater the impact."
Environmentalist Group Steps Up Campaign Against Musgrave
The Defenders of Wildlife Action Fund is upping its attacks on Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO), a Christian Right stalwart who is trailing in the polls for her re-election. The latest move: the group is sinking $650,000 into their latest ad buy against her, a very considerable sum in this rural district where media prices are relatively cheap.
Some GOPers Giving Up On Dole
The Politico reports that national Republicans have lost all hope for Sen. Elizabeth Dole (R-NC), who has fallen behind in the polls against Dem state Sen Kay Hagan. "There's no point in even counting the votes," one GOP official said.
I hope Dole gets crushed, it would serve her ass right. I'm no fan of Harold Ford, but there is a special place for her in hell for the way she smeared him on Meet the Press a few years ago.
October 6, 2008 11:26 AM | Reply | Permalink
This stuff on Libby and Mitchy is great.
Libby looks dead, and seems to know it. There's going to need to be a massive turn around there.
Mitch remains a longer shot, but to beat the sitting Minority Leader would be amazing. That it would be one that's such a hypocritical prick as Mitch would be icing on the cake.
John
October 6, 2008 12:14 PM | Reply | Permalink
Were I Altmire (D-Pa) I would also remind voters of Hart accepting money from DeLay's PAC and turning around and donating much of it to DeLay's defense fund. It doesn't take a 'master of the obvious' to know he was funding his own defense fund at a premium. She was also on the "Ethics Committee."
October 6, 2008 12:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
"There's no point in even counting the votes," one GOP official said.
Isn't this their usual election strategy?
October 6, 2008 1:28 PM | Reply | Permalink
The Franken/Coleman debate is being rebroadcast by Minnesota Public Radio, and it will be archived here: http://minnesota.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/10/06/midday2/
October 6, 2008 1:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
I was yesterday at the Rochester, MN debate. That line of Franken was very good, mainly because it came after Coleman kept hammering about he " get things done", and what he got done was not very good. Not only because of that line but in general I came out impressed by Franken. I have to confess that I was skeptical about him. He has to keep an eye on the third guy, Barkley, though. He is a pretty effective debater.
Coleman was the worst of the three.
October 6, 2008 1:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Doncha just love these Republicans whining about the economy like it's something that "just happened," as if it had nothing to do with them? Gee, Mitch, maybe if you hadn't been supporting delusional ideologically-driven policies that ran the economy into a ditch at everyone else's expense, your people wouldn't be have to bemoan how the economy is hurting poor little you.
October 6, 2008 2:18 PM | Reply | Permalink